The present invention relates to a multi-item analyzer, and more particularly to a multi-item analyzer in which a plurality of analyzing modules are arranged along a transporting line of a sample rack.
As for a multi-item analyzer for analyzing many samples requested to inspect a plurality of analysis items, for instance, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.6-27745 discloses an automatic analyzer in which a plurality of analyzing units are arranged along a rack transporting unit for transporting a sample rack containing a sample. The automatic analyzer of this kind is suitable for multi-item and multi-sample processing, and when one analyzing unit is insufficient for performing processing, by providing a plurality of analyzing units many analysis items can be processed by distributing them to the plurality of analyzing units.
However, since analysis items requested for each sample are made for a choice depending on the state of a disease of a patient, there is a disadvantage in making useless measurements of unnecessary analysis items when all analysis items are evenly measured using an automatic analyzer which has a sample processing capacity per unit time. As for an automatic analyzer improving the efficiency of such a processing capacity, for instance, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.3-180763 discloses an automatic analyzer of which the efficiency of processing capacity is improved in that all analysis items are classified into groups and the analysis items are allocated to individual analyzing modules so that an integrated value of a number of analyses to be requested for each of the groups may become the same.